[willsw]

Hello, I'm Will. Here for personal interest, but I should mention that I work for Linear Tube Audio, who currently produces David Berning designed amplifiers, and I'd be happy to answer, or find out an answer, to any questions regarding them. We appreciated AudioCircle's attention after RMAF2015.

[Phil A]

Welcome - note that they Industry Introductions in the Commercial Zone area.

[JerryM]

Welcome to AudioCircle, Will. 

[Phil A]

The mods beat me to it by a few seconds - welcome

[willsw]

Welcome - note that they Industry Introductions in the Commercial Zone area.

Ah, makes sense. Thank you, didn't catch this section. Debated with the company name in the intro title but thought shouty transparency is the safest way to make sure I'm abiding by rules in the beginning to avoid tripping up later.

[willsw]

Well, time has passed and LTA is looking to become more involved in the community here, so I thought I'd revive this thread as a place to discuss our products and announce anything new.

Big news: we now offer silver faceplates! This transition involves a few other new things, which I'll detail later. Here's a teaser of the new color:

[OzarkTom]

Nice on the silver face plate. I have been a David Berning fan since 1980.

[willsw]

Nice on the silver face plate. I have been a David Berning fan since 1980.

We have a few of his old transformer-coupled amps around too. Mark (owner of LTA) has been a long-time enthusiast as well.

[targa02]

Well, time has passed and LTA is looking to become more involved in the community here, so I thought I'd revive this thread as a place to discuss our products and announce anything new.

Big news: we now offer silver faceplates! This transition involves a few other new things, which I'll detail later. Here's a teaser of the new color:

Great news about a silver face plate!  Very interested in the ZOTL 40.  Will LTA have an exhibit at the LA Audio Show?

[FullRangeMan]

Hello, I'm Will. Here for personal interest, but I should mention that I work for Linear Tube Audio, who currently produces David Berning designed amplifiers, and I'd be happy to answer, or find out an answer, to any questions regarding them. We appreciated AudioCircle's attention after RMAF2015.

Thanks Will. Zotl amps use unusual tubes, not the popular Pentodes as KT tube etc
I wonder what are the requirements to a tube be suited to ZOTL output position?

[willsw]

Thanks Will. Zotl amps use unusual tubes, not the popular Pentodes as KT tube etc
I wonder what are the requirements to a tube be suited to ZOTL output position?

I'd have to ask David about that one specifically, but I know that due to not needing to be coupled to a traditional output transformer allows the use of odd TV sweep tubes and the like. Perhaps the question that would be more informative would be "what makes a tube not appropriate for use with an output transformer?" and it is likely that quality that does not apply to the ZOTL circuit. ZOTL amps use unusual tubes primarily because David Berning likes finding unusual tubes that sound as good as the canonical audio tubes without the canonical price and limited availability.

Great news about a silver face plate!  Very interested in the ZOTL 40.  Will LTA have an exhibit at the LA Audio Show?

Due to a very full development schedule and the desire to concentrate on that, we will not be at the LA show, and likely not show again until Capital Audio Fest and NY. Sad to miss California but excited for what we could be bringing next year. We'll see!

[Rusty Jefferson]

Thanks Will. Zotl amps use unusual tubes, not the popular Pentodes as KT tube etc
I wonder what are the requirements to a tube be suited to ZOTL output position?

David does build/design amplifiers with "traditionally" common output tubes including, 300b, 845, EL-34, EL-84, 6sn7, 6b4, 6L6, etc.  He does have a preference for very linear tubes and tubes that are (were) available at a reasonable cost.

[FullRangeMan]

This make sense. Thanks guys for the information.

[willsw]

This make sense. Thanks guys for the information.

We actually requested that David design a couple of amps with more traditional tubes for the ZOTL10 and ZOTL40, hence the EL84 and EL34/KT77 tubes, so that people with collections of those tubes could enjoy the amps more.

[Gopher]

I recently had the opportunity to spend four days with the 40 watt version of Berning/LTA's otl amp when we exhibited together at AXPONA this year, and it is one heck of an amplifier.  Fast and clean while being full bodied and tonefull.

Reference piece at an intermediate price point.

[FullRangeMan]

We actually requested that David design a couple of amps with more traditional tubes for the ZOTL10 and ZOTL40, hence the EL84 and EL34/KT77 tubes, so that people with collections of those tubes could enjoy the amps more.

That very good, these tubes are great sound and also inexpensive.

[Gopher]

http://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/impressions-audio-oasis-awards-axpona-2017/

I wasn't familiar with the Linear Tube Audio ZOTL40 Mk. II Amplifier ($5800), but it seemed to mate quite nicely with both the LampizatOr gear and push out great sound through another new product to me:  the Spatial Audio M3 Triode Master Speakers ($4000/pair). The configuration bespeaks triode OTL deliciousness (Where's Harvey Rosenberg when you need him?! He'd love this!) and highly efficient speakers. The ZOTL is David Berning's design, here updated by Linear Tube Audio.

The sound was rich, clean, and unfailingly music. Great tubes up front and out the back.

Killer! An Audio Oasis! Award here, in glowing praise!

[willsw]

Thanks for the kind words! I'll publicly reveal that I had actually cold-emailed LampizatOr last year to see if working together was possible, after hearing their DACs only once - but once was enough! Knowing that Spatial also favored Lampi DACs was also a huge co-sign.

We were talking about the room later and realized that with the 16-ohm impedance of the new Triode-Master Spatial M3, mono-blocking the ZOTL40s actually gave about the same power as using a single ZOTL40. Nevertheless, mono-blocked amps do look pretty cool when you can get them.

[willsw]

LTA has started offering premium DC cables and will soon expand their options to make DC umbilicals for other products (just provide us the specifications) as well as a few other types of cables.

[doggie]

That very good, these tubes are great sound and also inexpensive.

It gets even better. With the MicroZOTL 2.0 preamp/amp you have the option of switchable 6/12 volt filaments for the output tubes so that you can use NOS 12SN7 and variants which are MUCH cheaper than a good NOS 6SN7.